Brewologist: Learn IPAs, one hop at a time

7:23 PM,
Jul. 1, 2014

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So, you keep trying India pale ales and discovering you like some of them and would rather pass on others.

IPAs are highly variable. Some have a strong bitterness, some are easier on your palate. Some have a citrus tang, some taste like pine. Some are floral, some are herbal. The one thing they have in common is the same thing that makes them unpredictable - hops. More than any other beer style, IPAs depend on hops for their key characteristics, and those hops are as variable as Ohio weather. Once brewers start blending them, they can achieve almost any hoppy effect they desire. There's really no ...